This is the latest album from guitarist Randy Armstrong, who clearly shows that melody is always the strongest power, not necessarily who can play fastest, and the result is an instrumental release which made me smile from beginning to end. He is blending together and taking influences from New Age, Jazz, World Fusion, Americana and Folk, always ensuring the emotion and soul is front and centre and there is plenty of space in the arrangements while nothing is overplayed and there is no ego on show.
Randy provides electric and acoustic guitars, sitar-guitar, South African marimba, and the occasional Native American flute while he has rhythmic support from Miami-based drummer José Duque. This is relaxing and restful music, where one can drift away as when playing this it feels as if there is nothing negative in the world which can provide any harm. The album is mostly originals, but there are also two covers in Keith Jarrett’s “Memories Of Tomorrow” and an excerpt from “Finlandia”, which was composed by Finnish classical icon Jean Sibelius in 1899. This latter is particularly successful, and by far the largest flaw with this release is that it is only 37 minutes long and I wish there was more.
Rating: 8/10
Links:
https://randyarmstrong.com/